#it's not even set in india tho

[littleeyesofpallas]

Shakunetsu KABADDI[灼熱カバディ]

Burning Kabaddi

[manikas-whims]

Happy Diwali 🎇 and thanks for all the nice headcanons about lads

can i please please request some Diwali headcanons with lads boys pretty plase 🥹 lov u

Happy Diwali to you too anon 🥰

tho i’m kinda busy at home, i’ll write a few HCs for you ♡

Celebrating Diwali with LADS Men

some love and deepspace x Desi! Reader headcanons

Cleaning and Decorations with Xavier

-> Cleaning up the house during Diwali signifies letting go of the old (past) and bringing in/welcoming the new. Whereas decorative lights represent the triumph of light over darkness; victory of good over evil.

You tell Xavier about this desi tradition and the next morning he's at your door at 7 am sharp with all the cleaning supplies. He helps you clean up, declutter and even get rid of certain things you don't need anymore but keep hoarding for no reason 😭

Xavier will also love joining you in crafting lanterns, as well as buying decorative items because he gets to spend more time with you 🥺. He'll help you hang the decorative pieces at all the high places, and definitely enjoy setting up all the lights ✨. IT'S HIS FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS FESTIVAL. He'll help place the diyas (🪔) all over the house.

Shopping with Sylus

-> Shopping for new items such as furnishings and such is a way to bring in the new things into your lives. It's also believed that buying gold or silver during Diwali is auspicious and brings in wealth and prosperity to a family.

Sylus learns about this custom and the next day, he's outside your apartment with his sportscar, inviting you to a shopping date with him. Will definitely spoil you and buy loads of gold and silver jewellery for you cause he can 😌

Will also buy you furnishings way too lavish for your liking, saying shit like “the couch in your living room is too shabby, sweetie.” May or may not ask Luke and Keiran to help replace and redecorate all the furniture in your house 😭

Making candles and sweet dishes with Zayne

-> Many people buy but many others also make their own candles and diyas (🪔) at home to decorate the house. We also make sweet dishes which vary accordingly with every region of India.

Zayne is a calm and patient person. So who better to invite for making candles and sweets than him? He'll be a very patient learner. He'll love this activity so much, mostly cause he'll get to see your cute, annoyed expressions. And his candles will definitely look better than your crooked ones 😭

ZAYNE LOVES SWEETS! He'll be kinda excited to try the Desi delicacies. He'd probably enjoy Gulab Jamun the most! And Rasmalai 😋. He may not like kaju katli or soan papri as much but he'll appreciate them all the same. Oh and he will surely like boondi ke laddu.

Rangoli and Mehendi with Rafayel

-> We make Rangolis during Diwali to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that deities like houses with beautiful rangoli. Rangolis also represent the people’s joy as well as the triumph of good over evil. Whereas Mehendi (or henna art) is a tradition mostly performed by women. We love covering our hands in beautiful henna art 😍

Rafayel is an artist so of course he's gonna be most excited to indulge in the Rangoli making. His designs are gonna be the prettier than yours. He doesn't even bother looking up the simple rangoli designs on the internet. He'll directly create his own authentic and complex designs all over your house.

And he'd love Mehendi (henna art). He'd quickly learn the process of making mehendi at home. And then he'll get down to making beautiful patterns on your hands. Will definitely add lots of water symbolic designs as well as hide his name in the design 🤭 (eh-hem hiding each-other’s names in mehendi art is a hindu wedding tradition for bride and groom)

Miscellaneous HCs

♡ All of them will sincerely sit throughout the praying session. They'll help perform all the rituals.

♡ All of them will gawk at you in your pretty lehengas and sarees and kurtis and other traditional outfits you choose to wear 😊. They'll shower you with loads of compliments. Will definitely try out desi outfits for men if you ask them.

♡ They'll love trying out all the desi dishes you prepared.

♡ Xavier and Zayne will enjoy all the card games and will definitely keep beating your ass 😭

♡ They'll say no to fire crackers cause they cause pollution. Celebrate a Green Diwali y'all 😊🫶

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DIWALI 🪔

» MASTERLIST «

[chaos0pikachu]

Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes?

Short answer: No. anyways, in the following essay I will explain that James Cameron is a weeb...

(okay fine~~ lets actually do this)

TLDR: discussing what media globalization is, how fandom can distill it down to only American/European cinema, showcasing how a lot of current BL is influenced by countries within it's own proximity and NOT "the west" but each other, also James Cameron is still a weeb

I had seen a post that basically proposited that BL was being influenced by modern western romance tropes and had used things like omegaverse and mafia settings as an example. I found this, in a word, fucking annoying (oh, two words I guess) because it's micro-xenophobic to me.

It positions western - and really what we mean by this is American/European countries, we're not talking about South American countries are we? - cinema as the central breadbasket of all cinema in and of itself. Inherently, all following cinema must be in some way, shape, or form, influenced by American/European standards, and as such America/European countries are directly responsible for cinema everywhere else, and these places - namely non-white countries - do not influence each other, nor have their own histories in regards to storytelling or cinema and do not, in turn, also influence American/European film making either.

Now like, do I think all of that~~ is intentionally malicious thinking on behalf of folks in fandom? No, so chill out.

I do, however, think a lot of it is birthed from simple ignorance and growing up in an environment where ~The West~ is propagated to be central, individual, and exceptional as opposed to the monolith of "Asia" - by which we mean China, Korea, Japan don't we? How often in discussions of Asian countries is Iran, India, or Saudi Arabia brought up even tho they are all Asian countries? - or the monolith that is South America - in which some folks might believe regions like the Caribbean and/or Central America belong to, but nope there both North America.

Anyway, what we're talking about here is the concept of "media globalization":

"The production, distribution, and consumption of media products on a global scale, facilitating the exchange and diffusion of ideas cross-culturally." (source)

"The media industry is, in many ways, perfect for globalization, or the spread of global trade without regard for traditional political borders. [...] the low marginal costs of media mean that reaching a wider market creates much larger profit margins for media companies. [...] Media is largely a cultural product, and the transfer of such a product is likely to have an influence on the recipient’s culture." (source)

Typically when I see fandom discussing what falls under MG the topic is usually focused on how "the west" is influencing Thai/Korean/Chinese/Japanese media.

Enter, Pit Babe.

Surely Pit Babe was influenced by Supernatural right? Omegaverse is huge in the west - love it, hate it, meh it - it originated in the west - specifically via Supernatural after all.

Nah.

Omegaverse has been popular in Japan and China for almost a decade, if not longer. The earliest omegaverse manga I can think of is Pendulum: Juujin Omegaverse by Hana Hasumi which was released in 2015, almost a decade ago.

(what if you added furries into omegaverse? WHAT IF?? - Japan)

There's countless popular omegaverse manga too, and the dynamics only moderately resemble the ones we're familiar with in the west. Juujin is part omegaverse and part furry/beastmen - the alphas are all beastmen the omegas are humans - while something like Ookami-kun Is Not Scary only slightly resembles omegaverse dynamics as a hybrid series - beastmen are really popular in Japan in part b/c of historical mythology (you see the combination of romantic Beastmen and Japanese culture & folklore in Mamoru Hosoda's work The Boy and the Beast and Wolf Children).

Megumi & Tsugumi (2018) is so popular they're an official English edition published by VIZ's imprint SuBlime and that's a straight up omegaverse story.

(look at the omega symbol on the cover loud and proud baby)

So if Pit Babe was influenced by anything, it certainly wasn't "the west" it was Japan, Korea and China. Because those countries have a thriving omegaverse sub-genre going and have had such for 10 plus years now. Supernatural is popular in Japan, yes, and that may be where Japan and Japanese fans originally found omegaverse as a fictional sub-genre.

HOWEVER

Japanese fans took the sub-genre, bent it, played with it, and evolved it into their own thing. As such, other countries in their proximity, like Thailand, China, and Korea who read BL and GL manga, found it and were like "hey, we wanna play too!"

(is that an omegaverse yuri novel I spy?? yes, yes it is)

When I watched the Red Peafowl trailer, it had more in common with Kinnporsche, History: Trapped, along with films and shows like: Jet Li's The Enforcer, and Fist of Legend, Donnie Yen's Flash Point, Raging Fire, and Kung Fu Jungle, Han Dong-wook's The Worst of Evil, Kim Jin-Min's My Name, Lee Chung-hyeon's The Ballerina, Baik's Believer & Believer 2, Yoshie Kaoruhara's KeixYaku, popular Don Lee films The Gangster, the Cop and the Devil and Unstoppable alongside BL manga like Honto Yajuu and Bi No Isu (probably one of the most well known yazuka manga to date).

Like, we're seeing a rise in mafia based BLs and people think that's because of "western influence" and not the absolute insane success of kinnporsche??? Especially in countries like China, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and other Asian countries???

Mafia films and gang shows aren't even that popular here in America/Europe; don't get me wrong, they still get made and exist, but the last full length film was The Irishman which did not make it's budget back, and while Power is still on-going it's not a smash hit either. The heyday of Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, The Wire, Goodfellas, and Scarface are long gone. And if you've watched any those shows or films they have very little in common with Kei x Yaku, Kinnporsche, or Red Peafowl in tone, or style.

(who knew martin just wanted to make his al pacino/robert de niro fanfic come to life all these years?)

Another example, The Sign, which is clearly taking inspiration from Chinese costume dramas: Ashes of Love, Fairy and Devil, White Snake (and it's many adaptions), Guardian, & Ying Yang Master Dream of Eternity. Alongside Hong Kong and Korean cop and romance shows like Tale of the Nine-Tailed, Hotel Del Luna, Director Who Buys Me Dinner, First Love, Again, and previously mentioned cop dramas.

Like, I know y'all don't think Twins is influenced by, what, American sports classic Angels in the Outfield?? Gridiron Gang?? Rocky?? Nah that shit is inspired by the popularity of sports manga like Haikyuu!!, Slam Dunk, Prince of Tennis (which even has a Chinese drama adaption), and the like. And also probably History 2, & Not Me but I'm like 87% sure Twins is just Haikyuu fanfic.

So like, does this mean that there's NO history in which American and European cinema influenced these countries? What, no, obviously that's not true, American/European totally have had media influence on countries like Korea, Japan, etc.

Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka considered "the father of manga" was inspired by Walt Disney's work on Bambi. Another more recent and prominent example is director Yeon Sang-ho and his film Train to Busan.

"And it was Snyder’s movie [Dawn of the Dead, 2004], not the 1978 original, that filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho recalled as his first encounter with the undead. “That was when I started my interest in zombies,” Yeon said, in an email interview through a translator from South Korea. Even today, he added, “it’s the most memorable and intense zombie movie I’ve ever seen.”" (source)

HOWEVER, the global influence doesn't stop there. It's not a one-way street. Yeon Sang-Ho was inspired by Zack Synder's Dawn of the Dead, a remake of George Romero's own work, but Yeon Sang-Ho's work has inspired countless Korean film makers to make their own zombie media; following Train to Busan there's been: Kingdom (2019 - current), All of Us Are Dead (2022), Zombie Detective (2020), Zombieverse (2023), Alive (2020), Rampant (2018).

And hey, wouldn't you know it now we're starting to see more zombie media coming out of places like Japan (Zom 100 the manga, movie, and anime) and High School of the Dead.

Do you know what Domundi's series Zombivor (2023, pilot trailer only) reminds me of? It's NOT The Walking Dead (which is the only relevant zombie media America has created in the last decade) it's Korea's All of Us Are Dead (2022). Comparing the trailers, the settings, the tone, it's clear where Zombivor is pulling inspiration from: Korean zombie cinema. NOT American zombie cinema.

In fact a lot of Domundi's shows - Cutie Pie, Middleman's Love, Naughty Babe, Bed Friend - are all very clearly inspired by Korean filmmaking, specifically that of romantic kdramas from the 2016 - 2020 era. Not always in story, but rather in technique.

This is media globalization. It's not simply ~The West~ influencing non-American/European countries but countries who are often more close in terms of: proximity, culture, and trade are going to have more influence on each other.

It is far more likely that Aoftion (Naughty Babe, Cutie Pie, Zombivor) was influenced by watching Train to Busan, All of Us Are Dead, and other Korean zombie shows and films than a single episode of Walking Dead.

My point isn't that this goes one way only, but rather it is very literally a global thing. This includes American and European film makers being influenced by non-American and European cinema.

Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Darren Aronofsky, Christopher Nolan, the Wachowski sisters, George Lucas and James Cameron have all been influenced by Japanese film making, especially the works of Akira Kurosawa, Satoshi Kon, and Mamoru Oshii.

John Wick's entire gun-fu sub-genre is heavily influenced by classic Hong Kong action films, specifically John Woo films. Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, Voltron, Young Justice, My Adventures with Superman are all obviously inspired by Japanese anime but animated by a Korean animation studio (Studio Mir). Beyond that, the rise in adult animated dramas like Castlevania, Critical Role Vox Machina, and Invincible to name a few are very clearly taking inspiration from anime in terms of style. The weebs that were watching Adult Swim's Inuyasha, Bleach, and Dragon Ball Z have grown up and are now working in Hollywood.

Okay so like, what's the point of all this? What's the issue? Since American/European cinema does influence et all cinema does any of this really matter?

YES.

I take contention with this line of thinking because it centers "the west" and our supposed individual importance way to much. Declaring definitively that "BL is being influenced by western tropes" and then including tropes, narratives, and film making styles that aren't inherently western and actually have major roots in the cinema of various Asian countries, removes the existence of individual history these countries have which are rich, varied, and nuanced. It removes the "global" part of globalization by declaring "the globe" is really just America and Europe.

It distills these countries down to static places that only exist when American/European audiences discover them.

BL doesn't exist in a vacuum you can trace the development of Korean BL to the development of Korean het dramas almost to a T. You can also trace their development to the queer history of each country and how Thailand interacts culturally with China, Japan, Korea, etc and vice versa. It also ignores the history of these countries influencing American cinema as well. Don't mistake "the globe" for only your sphere of experience.

Anyway James Cameron is a damn weeb y'all have a good night.

Check out other posts in the series:

Film Making? In My BL? - The Sign ep01 Edition | Aspect Ratio in Love for Love's Sake | Cinematography in My BL - Our Skyy2 vs kinnporsche, 2gether vs semantic error, 1000 Stars vs The Sign | How The Sign Uses CGI | Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes?

[like these posts? drop me a couple pennies on ko-fi]

[wildshona]

Changes

OK, so I’m being hassled by some of my Followers cos I haven’t posted much recently. And it’s Wednesday, Soz everybody but I have been all over the place this week and simply disorganised helped by the fact that Zoe is now in nursery so Chris and I can go back to fucking where and when we like. Until mid afternoon.

Anyway Saturday I had to be on Zoe duty cos Toni took Amelia shopping. They got home part way through the afternoon which allowed Chris, Richard and me to go over to Windsor to watch a friend in a show.

Anyway Sunday and Amelia, Zoe and me go over to Toni’s for the usual swim and food. Change number one – Amelia actually went swimming topless. I mean come on Amelia. I’ll say one thing for my sister she has nice tits – bigger than mine, bitch lol. I think my nipples are nicer tho. Anyway, Zoe thought it was funny that Amelia hadn’t got a top and kept grabbing at them.

After the swim it was relaxation time laying out by the ppol while Zoe had a nap. Chris turned up then carrying a bag of clothes for me and wearing a dinner jacket and bow tie. Looking very handsome. For American Followers a dinner jacket is what we in the old world call a tuxedo – and we get the right to call it by that name cos it was apparently invented by the Prince of Waled back in the late 1800s finding India too hot to wear tails for dinner so had them cut off – hence the dinner jacket as we know it. Got that from Richard.

Anyway dinner time coming up and I went off to my designated room to get chaged - into a very nice long dress that I have for very formal occasions – sometimes there are formal dinners at the events Chris runs. It is a deep blue and has a neckline that drops to the waist. Would be outrageous but the panels that cover the tits are tight enough that I don’t fall out, although as I obviously can’t wear a bra with it my nipples become very noticeable.

Anyway, Toni was wearing a long stylish burgundy creation that had a tight bodice and bare shoulders, the mounds of her tits pushed up by the bodice. Very stylish, very sexy and the place between my legs was already wet and my nipples very obvious.

Then Amelia emerged with Zoe, who was wearing a fairy princess concoction. Amelia, well, was wearing a long red gown, the colour screaming availability, and as she moves you could seet that the panels of the skirt had side slits almost to the hip. A dangerous dress to wear no underwear – or perhaps... I would have worn stockings with it but then, that’s me. The bodice was tight like Toni’s and pushed up her tits. Frankly we all looked fabulous.

We chatted and we all were very nice to Amelia about the dress. She blushed for some reason and we had a fabulous meal and the wine was great and Zoe was so entertaining talking about princesses and princess dresses and how she wanted to live in a castle like this one day and marry a prince. Well, at least she has ambition. After the meal, and Zoe going off to play with a doll’s fairy castle that had been set up for her in the lounge, while we sat on sofas for a while until a young woman, maybe even still a teenager, enters. I swear to the Gods she was wearing a French maid costume. Not entirely sexily over the top but you know. This was Ina, a Romanian, who was now working for Toni and particularly had charge of Zoe. So off they went together.

And now, said Toni, the fashion show.

Amelia stood and I honestly was starting to think she was not wearing knickers. Maybe she was wearing a high hipped thong.

Anyway, I was summoned to lay next to Toni who unzipped the back of my dress so that she could rest a hand on my tit. Chris sat on a sofa at across from us and in walks Amelia.

First, said Toni, for a casual day out.

Oh my fucking God, was that Amelia? OK, so the mini skirt was not as short as most of mine but short enough and with boots that came over the knees and a crop top tee that she so obviously was not wearing a bra under she looked as though she was screaming to be fucked. Only marred slightly by the fact that she was blushing prettily. She has to work on her confidence if she is going to start dressing like a slut.

She walked between the sofas and gave a little bow and walked out to our applause. Well, Toni didn’t applaud cos she was playing with my nipple and completely exposing my tits.

We have seen Amelia in formal attire, said Toni, so let us see her ready for a slightly less formal party or for a night club.

There was a bit of a pause as the timings had not quite worked and in she came again. And again, it wasn’t as short as something I might wear but there was a lot of leg. Again they had gone for tight and this was off the shoulder. I wondered what would happen if she raised her arms over her head. There was a danger her tits would fall out. As if she heard my thoughts, as she got to the end of the “runway”, she raised her arms. She didn’t pop out but it was fucking close. And out she went to more applause and me thinking about all those birthday fashion shows I had done when I was growing up.

And now for something a little naughtier, announced Toni, after allowing a longer time to change.

What the.....? Is this my sister? In she walks in a black dress, the skirt flaring out from her hips and falling to just below her knees. But the bodice – was completely transparent and tight. It pressed against her nipples and as she walked they reacted to the rubbing of the material by becoming totally erect. And the top was so tight it was obvious that it couldn’t be worn with a bra. Toni’s hand pinched my nipple and she moved to pull up her dress. Good to see that someone was wearing stockings.

My sister bowed again and exited. Toni pushed me aside and stood to unzip her dress which fell and pooled around her feet. All she was wearing was black stockings and a suspender belt and high heeled shoe with the thinnest of heels.

Get your clothes off slut, she said to me. Never one to stay dressed when I didn’t have to I was out of my dress in moments.

Get rid of the thong sweetie.

Completely naked I stretched out on the sofa beside her as her hand moved to my naked cunt.

And finally, for those intimate moments.

I swear that the whole of Amelia was blushing as she walked in. She was wearing high heels, black stockings help up by a purple silk garter belt. Her knickers were also purple, sheer transparent and you could see that her well maintained trimmed bush had gone. A purple sheer bra was the final addition, displaying hard nipples.

She walked between us to the end of the “runway” and stopped. We all applauded her for her sheer bravery. Even Toni stopped playing with my cunt long enough to applaud. Then she pushed me aside, rose majestically as only she, went over to Amelia and kissed her – on the lips. Not a long kiss but...it’s a start. Then she waved me over and I also kissed my sister and, as she was being so naughty, I gave her a bit of tongue. That started her, heh heh.

Finally Chris stood, as Toni and I returned to the sofa, and kissed her, a long lingering kiss. I could see Amelia’s knees trembling. Poor girl. She never got this treatment from daddy.

Kiss over and Chris pulled her down next to him on their sofa.

Time for you to pay for the entertainment, sweetie.

That was for me, of course, meant that I had to go between her legs but it is always a pleasure to pleas Toni. Amelia and Chris watched as I indulged her. I took a breath at one stage and looked over to them. Chris’s cock was out and Amelia was dutifully wanking him off. Then a sharp word from Toni and I was back to work until she shook and shuddered and sweet juices flooded into me.

Which was when I felt Chris pull me to my knees and push his cock into my mouth. Well, you wouldn’t want to get cum al over your trousers would you? I was a good slut and swallowed the lot.

What about me, you ask?

I had brought myself off when I was servicing Toni.

So, anyway, entertainment over. Amelia ran out so that Mrs Lewis could get her dressed. Toni and I got ourselves dressed and we all looked respectable by the time Amelia brought a sleepy Zoe down, followed by Ina.

And home in a car that was waiting outside, organised by the remarkable Mrs Lewis.

NOTE: I hope you appreciate the effort I’ve gone to in making this in actual English rather than my free-wheeling spelling and grammar free usual posts.

EXTRA NOTE: Today we are hosting some MAGA advisors – well actually Richard is but Chris and I will be there. So my next post might be more. I don’t know, more something and less sexy.

Kisses to you all.  

[zeherili-ankhein]

I love how Charvaks were like the Bacchae of India but without the influence of Dionysiaca lmaooo Nonnus should've included them in the epic it'd have been a blast ☠️ (but again that'd set them up in a godly world which they don't believe in, so ☠️)

LMAO- well... True tho 💀

I think Nonnus would have given them an even more horrible lore or ending then the Bacchae 💀 or some crazy crazy illuminati theory ahh shit who knows

(lmao imagine if they were in the epic bit they refused to believe Dio was a God and just kept calling him like wine guy or something 💀)

[sinistergooseberries]

SALAAR (SPOILER ALERT)

continuing my tags from a previous post (sorry 😭 @deadloverscity) : like i said, i do think salaar is a good story so far. I like the world-building, I like the tribe coalition system that becomes a background for our story, and i like the fact that varadha and deva are in a toxic yaoi relationship.

im not gonna lie tho, i just haaaate the cinematography and lighting in prashant neel's movies. it's always a bad time there. It's like slapping a vignette over every frame of the movie, and it takes away any colour whatsoever. I understand that he wants to go for a dark vibe, but trust me, dark vibes can be achieved even without making the entire movie dark and invisible. I literally cannot see the actors doing any action! It's bad! It's not enjoyable. As a typical Telugu moviegoer (and assuming the movie was made for a predominantly telugu audience), I enjoy a somewhat vibrant colour scheme. So far, in all of our movies and even the mega movies (if you have watched RRR and Baahubali) there is a lot colour and imagery going on in the movies. I think in Prashant neel's cinemas, all of this is taken away. He has a set of colours that appear in his films consistently - which are black, grey and red. This colour scheme i feel, if repeatedly used, can be a bit boring and may take away the vibrance of the story. the stark contrasts (imo) do not emphasise the story, they overshadow it. still, take this w a grain of salt.

However, considering the fact that this is just his fourth film, ill cut him some slack. But man, if he is going to make movies for a telugu audience, i hope he lets go of the vignette filter.

next, the worldbuilding. i like it - here is a country that is completely separated from india, yet dictates certain aspects of it. i like that they chose an isolated place that evolves in parallel with the mainland, but retains the values of the tribes, making this place mythical and real at the same time. i was really intrigued by the tribe lore - about how the mannars ousted the shouryangas, and how rajamannar basically went against his own father's rule-book and is now facing dire consequences from bharava, whose tribe has the right to the throne right now. i also love love love loveeeeeee the fact that deva is the rightful heir to the throne - and also also the fact that whether he knows about this or not is left ambiguous. i love how this adds another layer to amma's hatred of khansaar and OH. MY. GOD. chef's kiss i love it.

as a personal taste, i don't like violence and epic fights tm overshadowing the narrative, which i feel the movie does. however, kannada film-making might be different. idk, i havent seen many kannada films other than kantara and kgf. the former is good i absolutely love it - the story is fantastic, the fight scenes are chumma, ufff i can praise it for days. the latter is pretty meh for me.

another thing i love about the movie is.. well, varadha and deva. dude, what is up with telugu guys unintentionally making queer movies these days? what is up with that yallll??? ohmygod. when i tell you that i smelled the romance im not lying. dude. dudeee. the whole friends to enemies to (maybe) friends/lovers arc theyve got going on? oooh baby i can feel the fanfics writing themselves. the whole soaked in blood-fighting-together scene? it was a miracle i wasnt jumping up and down on my seat. the dialogue in that scene 'i have friends more handsome than you' and then varadha getting kinda jealous and shit. lovely. the whole don't touch him thing that deva has got going on - baby boy just kiss him. and man. it's beautiful tragic and im writing a fanfic.

soo yeah this is my rant about salaar. im expecting something from it lol.

[shera-dnd]

I try not to be negative here. Like there's just too much negativity in this webbed site as is and I don't wanna add on to it

BUT god it's so hard not to shit on Mihoyo's character designs

Like I could write a whole fucking essay on why Yae Miko maybe has the ONLY good character design in Inazuma, and how Kokomi's and Raiden's designs are an affront to character design

Not to mention how much I could dunk on how pasty white the entirety of their fantasy India is

...but that would take like an ungodly amount of words and effort and ranting, and like I said I wanna keep negativity to a minimum

so instead I'm gonna do a little "bulk dunk" and go for the entirety of HSR in one go

quick disclaimer that I still play and enjoy these games and Jingliu has me by the balls no matter how painfully boring her character design actually is

ALRIGHT LET'S GO!

I guess it goes without saying that the design of any character in a gacha game is created with only a single thought in mind and that is: MASS MARKET APPEAL!

Which means the characters are meant to be PRETTY and their designs are meant for immediate appeal, not to actually inform the character

This results in some...weirdness

Like the fact that the Natasha (girl on the left) raised Seele (girl on the right) from childhood and used to run an orphanage, meaning she's much MUCH older than Seele, even tho they look about the same age

Okay Nat does look a little older, but no one is allowed to look old in this game

Something that becomes extra clear with

Serval! Who you'd be forgiven for thinking is a young adult playing for a rock band, and not a middle aged disgraced scientist who used to be in a rock band.

And yeah she's supposed to be AT LEAST in her 30s, because girl is the same age as Cocolia and that woman is a mother to an adult woman by the time we meet her

Oh and speaking of Nat and Serval, you've now seen 2/3s of all characters with ANY FORM OF BLEMISHES ON THEIR SKIN!

Nat has a spot on her chin, and Serval has a tattoo on her hip

Last one is Arlan

My man has the only two scars in this whole ass video game. He's also the only dark skinned character. He follows a pattern set by Xinyan and Dehya in Genshin, by being dark skin rep, carrying a big sword, and sucking absolute ass

But okay these characters are pretty, but there's nothing wrong with keeping characters pretty. Well, there is when their prettiness goes against what their character is supposed to be

So Belobog's story is one of class struggle in a military state that is holding back a never ending catastrophe. The entire population of the world is just one big walled city holding back the cold.

In it the rich and powerful live in the Overworld, where they have museums and theaters and grand statues, and a massive building from which their rulers can pass judgement.

The Underworld is mostly just a giant fucking mine where the lower class people are forced to work 24/7 in order to get food and medicine from the Overworld in the hopes that they'll keep surviving.

Underworld characters are survivors who have been struggling every day of their lives and have NEVER SEEN SUNLIGHT BEFORE

Yeah guys I can really get hardworking survivor from these two

But I mean that is just ONE planet, it can't be a thing for EVERY world, right? ...right?

So the Xianzhou Luofu is... a lot. Like it would take a long time to explain everything that is up with those guys, but the big themes here are stuff around chronic illness, memories, PTSD, war time trauma, and a whole bunch of stuff about aging

Like here are two characters who are veterans of war. One is constantly overwhelmed by her own traumatic memories, causing her to go into violent dissociative episodes.

The other one lost her copilot/best friend/rival/love of her life (YOU CANNOT CONVINCE ME SHE ISN'T GAY, MIHOYO) in battle, and the trauma of that loss has left her terrified of flying again, living the rest of her life in the shadow of this one monumental event

...yeah I don't see it either

But hey don't worry, this game believes in gender equality, and that means the men are also just very pretty and very boring

Like the Luofu's messiest polycule, who are all millennia old pretty boys made with the sole purpose of making the straight women in the fanbase call them "daddy"

Well at least Blade has spider lily symbolism, which is like always a plus for me

Okay

That's it

That's all the dunking I have for HSR. I exorcised the angry grumpy critic from my system, and can go back to being positive and loving things again.

And I mean these games make more money than I can ever even conceptualize, so maybe I'm the one who is wrong

Oh also

Clara is perfect and objectively the best character design in this game, don't fucking @ me!

[mermaidsirennikita]

I was just on Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland and thought, “a pirate romance would be great right about now.” Any recs? Thank you!

I dooo--these aren't really true-blue Golden Age of Piracy PIRATE PIRATE recs because a lot of those are *quite* old and *quite* problematic even by my standards... And I mean, that era of piracy is kind of inherently rough because piracy like, directly intersected with the slave trade, among other things, etc.

If you're open to something more magical and whimsical, I would absolutely recommend India Holton's The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels and The League of Gentlewoman Witches. They're set in a Victorian world populated by thieves and witches and pirates who fly like, airships. They're SO funny and sexy and romantic, but they still hav stakes, too. I actually find the heroes of both books very piratey. One is like, a charmer sort of like, borderline himbo, and the other is one of the slickest heroes I've ever read. Both are great, Gentlewoman Witches edges out the first for me juuust a little because of how the sex in that one works. She's just like "I am very stressed" and he's like "I have a solution". At one point they're just jacking/fingering each other while steering the ship lmao.

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt OF COURSE. Charming Mickey O'Connor (one of the greatest hero names of all time sorry) is a river pirate. He's very successful, very dangerous, and has an incredibly OTT accent that Elizabeth Hoyt sells because it's Elizabeth Hoyt and she can sell almost anything. His heroine is a Quaker widow who ends up trapped on his ship because he, GET THIS, left his bastard infant daughter on her orphanage doorstep, and a year later, after she's fallen in love with this baby, shows up like "SO YEAH WE'RE IN DANGER AND I CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE USING SHIT AGAINST ME SO I WANT THAT BABY BACK EVEN THO IDGAF ABOUT IT". And Silence is like well if you're taking the baby you're taking ME too. And so he does.

The Hawk by Monica McCarty has a medieval hero who's like, a lord and shit, but also very much a self-acknowledged pirate. He's always swimming naked and using his piratical ways to do spy shit for Robert the Bruce. His heroine is an uptight Irish noblewoman he literally fishes out of the sea. This is indeed the "they fuck on a raft in the middle of a storm because the storm makes her anxious" book.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long has a hero who's a privateer, which is BASICALLY THE SAME THING LBR. The action doesn't really take place on the ship, because he and the heroine end up in the same room at this boarding house during a once in a lifetime storm (it's like a bottle episode romance, it's really fascinating) but he's still got that pirate charm. She's a spinster and has kinda missed out on life. At one point they play this weird old-timey game to pass the time and it gets oddly sexual, which is such a Julie Anne Long thing.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. Allegreto is, while also being an assassin and political mover and shaker, a pirate on the side. Part of the book does take place on a ship, I believe, and the interesting thing is that it also takes place, in part, in VENICE, so you get the whole canal life. Allegreto is legit crazy. TW: noncon for the first encounter, one of those forced consummation things because he needs the heroine to marry him as a part of his Evil Plot.

(Sidebar: I always find this scene so interesting, because it is very obviously noncon, but in a way that I think is period-accurate she sort of is like more mad about her virginity being gone? Because she needs that for marital and political reasons? And she also realizes that he SUPER got off on her biting him, and he's shaken because she really wasn't supposed to know that he was into that, and SHE begins to connect the dotes re: his sexual inclinations, in that he wants her to dominate him, which is a major weakness of his.)

Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath. The hero's brother basically sold him--he was willing--to piratey types when they were young teens because they were on the run from their evil uncle. So he grew up and became this well known captain/pirate. Now he's sort of integrated back into polite society, but he doesn't want it, so he goes out to sea and ends up escorting the heroine when she's on the way to see her fiancee. Cue sex on a boat. This one is really fun because it gives major ILLICIT AFFAIRS.

Any Duke in a Storm by Amalie Howard. Arguably the most traditional piratey one here. The heroine is actually a spy, but she has this pirate identity and is very cold and fierce. The hero (who naturally is both piratey and a duke) becomes her first mate (or something like that) and she actually thinks he's a part of the illegal operation she's trying to bust. HOWEVER, things get complicated because he's wildly attracted to her and trying to get into her pants. There is indeed a fight where she ends up on top of him and realizes he's massively hard and there are like 12 pirates watching.

[eruverse]

IDNL/Neshiran headcanons (part 1)

Because someone has to do it

Before anyone comes after me, know that the biggest Ned/Indonesia shippers I’ve seen around are Indonesian ourselves. Top Ned is most popular in Indohetalia side of fandom, which I also don’t mind ofc, but I personally am more top Indo.

I guess these will be concentrated around their first meetings. That being said:

I don’t put an exact age on Indonesia, but I don’t subscribe to the idea that Ned ‘found’ a child Indonesia. Sure, modern/unified Indonesian republic is totes different from precolonial kingdom era Indonesia(n islands or Nusantara) and we learned to unify under (modern) Indonesian ideology only during colonial era, but yknow, it doesn’t make much sense for me that Indonesia was only a child when Ned found him. So I headcanon that Indonesia already looked to be around 18-19 years old when Ned met him for the first time, that is, in 1609 around (in modern time Indonesia looks to be late 20s)

Indonesia was a traveler/sailor and a trader between precolonial kingdoms. So he was not limited to just one or two kingdoms, he moved around a lot and was a good trusted friend for precolonial kings/sultans and the personifications of kingdoms (doesn’t make sense if they didn’t exist)

Ned wasn’t the first white dude Indonesia has seen in his side of Nusantara (that would be Portugal in the 1500s). So he actually could hazard a guess as to why Ned came; spice, and having all of it for himself.

Indonesia (ofc at this time wasn’t called Indonesia lol) is a curious dude and always likes to learn about/befriend new people, especially interesting foreigners, even if he knew the whites would end up fighting with him anw. By the time Ned came to Nusantara, Indonesia has met Portugal and Spain who fought with each other and also against him/with him (look up Ternate-Tidore sultanates conflicts in Maluku)

(The thing was that he was sure Ned would give up sooner or later because Spain and Portugal both kinda sucked)

(Obviously Ned didn’t, lol, even after similar beatings)

(Damn.)

He has never been an innocent dude or a prude lol, because yknow, India taught him personally as a kid.

Indonesia and Ned fooled around during this time meheheheh. They didn’t have any relationship or anything tho, and while Indonesia thought Ned was pleasant-looking (an impression shared by Ned about him) he wasn’t that much impressed by everything else. It was just a nice fling while it lasted.

Their intimate encounters were nice tho, 10/10 it kept Ned awake at night

Surely, Ned knew Indonesia was a being <<like him>> only that he didn’t know what he actually was. Not that Indonesia told him anything, and not that Indonesia had a clear idea about his own purpose at that time. But Indonesia was Goddamn good in what he did, aka sex and trades and local diplomacy and everything important about the islands and these were why Ned kept pursuing him. Also sex

Ned worked in this company (VOC) and he set out to make Indonesia work for him.

He had to get Indonesia no matter what because he was the key to everything.

[waitingforeddyneddy]

So, I discovered your blog on twitter as I saw someone saying to block you and it made me curious to see what that was about and while I don’t really care about a lot of your opinions, I would like to give me 2 cents on certain topics you’ve touched previously bc you said that people can rant on your blog and it’s hard to find a place to give your honest opinion. So here goes: First of all, I wish people would stop hating on Jonny for his likes and comments. And I say that I someone who doesn’t care for that man. While I don’t buy into the theory that he and Simone hate each other, it’s pretty clear that he doesn’t have a soft spot for her like he does for Phoebe and CC, which is fine by me bc Simone also doesn’t have a soft spot for him like she does for Ncuti and Phoebe. And I absolutely don’t think she supports them only bc she’s friends with them cause I don’t think she’s that close to anyone she’s worked with and keeps her personal and professional life separate. I think she just supports people she really likes just like Jonny and that’s ok. They worked together and then went their separate ways and only engage with people they really like online. It’s mutual. Second of all, there are so many Simone fans who throw her under the bus in order to defend Jonny and it’s sad to watch. There really is no difference in the way they speak about her when defending him and how a hater would put her down if someone said something about their fave like NC or India. I remember the way some people were talking about her when they ss I guess your blog and then a fan pointed out to stop dragging Simone which lead to someone saying that they are defending Jonny from homophobia. Now nobody should tolerate homophobia, but there really was no need to say stuff like ‘they hate him bc he’s booked and she isn’t’ and ‘he’s not the one who told people to not ask questions about his job, she did’. Like hate on the person writing homophobic shit. Why are you dragging that person’s favourite celebrity like a hater would in order to get at them?! And they’re apparently fans of the person they’re dragging! I’m convinced that 97% of Simone/Jonny fans would absolutely choose him over her if they ever had to and it’s sad. I really want her to have her own fans one day. Anyways, rant over!

Hi!

I don't think Simone and JB hate each other, let me tell you the whole campaign "block that person" that started on twitter against me took place because I went against some mean girls of the fandom who thought they held the universal truth in their hands....this being that JB and Simone are besties. I don't think they are, and as you said, they're probably just collegues who worked on a project together and that's it. I do think Simone had a bad experience on that set tho.

you're absolutely correct when you say some people only disguise themselves as Simone fans because the've proven so many times that they're ready to throw Simone under the bus to defend that man when I "attack" him on my blog. If they're so pissed with me is there a reason to joke about Simone state of employment? or to say "I'm a Simone stan but I have no choice but to say this about her..." these are things that happened not more than a month ago, it was said by people who even have Simone fan pages on twitter or instagram. Fucking yikes.

Also don't worry, Simone does have her fans, when her other projects come out it's only going to get better

[i-love-you-all]

Valorant Revelations cinematic

Just got home and watched it for the first time so here are initial thoughts ig? I spend a lot of time on figuring out HQ location lol.

It’s nice on a more personal note that the training range was shown a little more because I’ve set/will continue to set quite a few scenes from my own writing there. But it’s nice to know that injury/death is theoretically possible (and the Sova VM confirmed this latter part)

I’m pretty sure it’s basically confirmed that at least Valorant Legion all live in different places and get called when a threat is detected. I wonder if it’s supposed to call in the closest agents though or just ones best suited to fight against the threat.

If you think back to the Pearl cinematic, Sova, Phoenix and Yoru were called in. Since it’s in Portugal, it would make sense for Sova and Phoenix to get called in as they’re both in the EU, Britain and northwest Russia, but It had me thinking... well... where was KJ, assuming she spends more time in Germany (which she may not). How was Yoru, who def does spend time in Japan, called in as well?

Additionally in this cinematic, why was Sage called but not Omen? They were in the same place at the same time. There was no controller on that team and real life for them would probably work differently from the game, but... smokes are great utility! I suppose it could be that It had to be between Sage and Omen if KJ, Raze, and Jett were all closer, and Sage has more leadership qualities considering the existing team?

If we follow the theory that it calls the closest agents possible though, we can start to rule out places where the Valorant HQ on the mirrored world isn’t. It wasn’t close enough to Lisbon to get called on over Yoru (unless Yoru was at base). But it was close enough to India that Istanbul, and Korea were closer.

Actually scrap that, because then Japan would’ve def been closer than HQ, right? Unless this is a hybrid thing and it calls the agents best suited to the mission in priority order of location? Which would still suggest that Valorant HQ is not on NA. Idk anything more specific and even that is just conjecture lol.

Sage’s locker was cool, Haven pre-kingdom (or maybe kingdom never took it over? Is that too much to hope for?) There’s a sign that I think says not just a/your healer which is funny. The Raze graffiti :))

(Sage is buff tho, and not enough fan content shows her like that) Though, most agents should be buff if they’re part of valorant because handling guns does take quite a bit of arm/shoulder strength esp to handle recoil.

Assuming Lotus has some radianite artifact that Astra/Harbor are looking into? Wonder why Yoru didn’t join?

It’s fun to look at Omen’s smoke and realize it’s not as clear on the inside like in game. (and look! sage can still self-heal!) So ig that’s our reminder that in game mechanics aren’t constantly linked with the same abilities in the story.

Also, I’m gonna assume that Fade was looking for clues related to the disappearance of the person she cared about? I had a fun thought that perhaps this version of Valorant stole Alpha (?) Fade’s person but that’s now proven wrong.

Astra’s so pretty. Her eyeshadow :))

I guess I wonder how Valorant Protocol is sending agents to other locations in the other Earth’s world? Was it not just linked to Pearl’s portal? Or did they like, hack other portals too or whatever they did.

But yeah I wish more lore was brought out about the artifacts, but I assume they wanted to show the map off first, so maybe it’ll be part of the reveal for the actual map? Fingers crossed.

[risu5waffles]

Ten-10 for Pen-pen

Got another 10 in the pike for y'all. Which, to think of it. Why pike? Who puts anything in a fish? Aside from fish food? i guess?

Talked about this a few weeks back. Short. Sweet. Well, mostly sweet? It's mostly just short, to be honest.

There are some really nice set pieces in this one, yeah. Loved all the giant zombie-ghosty things. The castle, itself, is a really nicely done environment, tho' i feel like the cameras are really a touch to herky-jerky at times. Gameplay was fun enough, even if a few bits don't totally gel; that bouncy floor bit really didn't quite work for me. The major fly in the ointment is the "This Is Halloween" or whatever it's called playing on loop the whole damned level. Even if it were a good song (and this version of it definitely is not), it just can't sustain 7minutes about of gameplay.

It's funny how you'll never hear of a creator, and then you blink and suddenly they're everywhere? And they're actually really good? This one is not a perfect recreation of Skulldozer, but it approximates it quite well, while putting its own spin on the proceedings. i am always a little bit wary of the Temple as a level kit, 'cause it feels a little bit of a kind of way towards Indian (subcontinent India, that is, not Native American) folx? i don't know. It's not my place to get angry about it, but it does tend to ping my "is this going to be gross?" radar. Anyways, Joja28 has a tonne of levels, and they all seem to have come out fairly recently, and they're all pretty good. i hope i didn't make that sound suspicious, because it isn't really. Sometimes folx just get on a whole tear in create mode.

This is another one, like the Snake Temple level above, that got picked up for a Team Pick right after i recorded, but before the episode went live. Hate that. This one's really fun to look at, but not quite as much to engage wiv. If you get out of the score bubble sections, it's really difficult to get back up, so you're just stuck on the boat forever watching the level go by. But the level does, at least, look nice, and it has a lot of character; it just feels really long when you can't engage wiv it.

The first of Chronos' Neon Dimension series, and already just strong right out the gate. Can we step back and appreciate this was made 12 dang years ago? Chronos was just a wee babby. And he just throws this together, like, oh, yeah, i just had this in my back pocket. i remember playing this the first time and thinking how cool it was that the level just kind of put itself together as i went. That was my benchmark for "is this level really special" for a couple of years when i first started reviewing, and it came from seeing it the first time done well here.

i think this might be my favourite "HARD" levels, tho it doesn't really bill itself the way those ones do (seriously, a lot of them just have hard in all-caps right in the title). This one's really tricky, and some bits take a fair amount of finesse, but it never feels unfair, and it never feels like it's rushing you along before you're ready. Add to that an excellent presentation, an extremely chill vibe, and a great choice of music, and you've got a real masterclass in level design. i tell you, no lie, i was so proud to beat this one way back in the day.

Yooo... what is this even? It is so fluid! The animation, it's like, i know it was done in LBP3, but i don't think i've ever seen anyone pull off something that looked quite as good or as well-done as this. The creator said on the title page they might or might not have gotten around to finishing it, but they were publishing it anyways just to have what was completed out there. i'm not familiar wiv the song, so i can't say yay or nay to that; but what we did get is honestly really special.

We're not also posting this to the subreddit, so i can say more honestly how i feel about this level. Fuck this level. Fuck it right in the ear wiv a big metal dick. Gods. This was actually anti-fun. It actually went out and removed fun from the world. It probably shit on a baby's ice cream while i was playing it, powered by my deep frustration and loathing.

There are some cute touches in this one, even if i don't feel like it really needed to be as long as it was. i really liked the skiiers and their bits of animation. The setting had a bit more pop in colour than we usually see in snow-themed levels, and i appreciated that as well. But, to be honest, there isn't really too much that sticks out in my mind either? i know that's kind of shitty, but there you go.

Tell you what, i was not expecting this level to be like this. Like, i've played LaDIDa72's levels before, and they can be tricky, but they always felt tricky in spite of themselves, you know? Like, a little playtesting and polish and they'd work better? i guess i didn't realize that street goes both ways. You can take wonky bits and polish them to be harder. This has got some of the fiddliest, most bullshite platforming i've played in a while and i loved it? It never felt unfair, just always just barely not do-able, and that makes all the difference. Plus, there's little that's dependent on things outside your control, and that, i feel like, is super important to keep players engaged wiv this kind of level. Make someone feel like the fuck up is on their end, and they will beat their heads into the wall trying to get past it, but let them think for a moment that the fuck up was on you as a creator, and they will bounce right out. It super helps this level is pretty as fuck. Like it is just super pretty. Which is half the reason i wasn't expecting it to be a hard level. A lot of times those are just dogshit ugly. Fun fact! i can't watch this video on my own YouTube channel thanks to Song 2 being in the level. Thanks a fucking lump Sony Music Japan! You're total fucking peaches!

---------------------

So that's another ten off the top then. Your usual mix of good, bad, and ugly, but alright enough for all that. It feels like it's becoming my day off refrain, but i got stuff done today, but not what i needed, and not what i wanted. Well, a few things i needed, but not, like, needed-needed, you know?

[mystifiedmess]

ok ok ok ash, i hope you’re ready for my HCs—i can’t seem them being as good as u bc u set a high and but i’m gonna give it an honest effort.

1. ambivert leaning towards introvert? u prefer having a smaller group of friends that u can let loose w & u social battery takes time to recharge.

2. not a big fan of alcohol? like—u try it, gives u the ick & the you’ll nurse the same drink for a long time.

3. u were the smart kid in school—slightly overachieving, liked sitting in the front, had the answers type

4. you’re good at like. crafts and stuff? all that DIY stuff—bracelets, jewellery, photo frames idk

5. not a big sports person but swimming is good stuff

6. u have a high pain tolerance (this has to be true bc what u told me about ur tattoo—)

7. ur parents r pretty chill w you and u get a lot of only child benefits but ur also not like. a spoiled brat?

8. a rambler!!! can talk for days about anything & everything, interspersed w so many tangential stories & events

dude you said you don't see them being as high as mine and then having the first one dead on correct is most i didn't study for test but topped class behaviour jsjdh

1- my irl friends have this ratio that is just my speaking and interacting with people is inversely proportional to the no of people. it doesn't matter if these are people i have known all my life. like at max i can stay at my bffs house for 5 hours then i Just start getting the hives and it's too much

2-ohkay so i haven't gotten hammered yet (haven't had the chance, but so far my experience was that i liked it enough, i am cautious with it tho but that's more getting caught by family ke karan wala scene)

3-i wish lmao why do people have this perception (you're definitely not the first) but i was an above average kid till like 10th. i had something of a harry scene like where he's smart but he doesn't have studious habits so it didn't really translate to grades you know. the sitting in first bench thing is slightly true (i want to sit infront at time cause i can't see past my hands without glasses,my eyesight is just the most whack thing)

4- oh yeah this is dead on like i didn't do jwellery but i did make a lot of other creative stuff as a kid loved arts and crafts. I'm that stationary friend even now my pouch is 1/2 kgs 🥲

5-ooh so i love running (like track/relay races and stuff) i love cycling just the feel of being so fast that the wind just kisses your face and you get the temporary relief from heat or the world even becomes blur i love that feeling

also love swimming as well tho but besides that don't like any games that involve balls so you're right in a way

6- yeah you're right about it, even rn i ahve a injury which i thought i was adequately describing to mom but turns out just sayin I'm okay and it's not that bad when it is bad doesn't work who knew 🙃

7- bhai so you're dead on for half that I'm not a spoiled brat (also does anyone else physically get the ick when they have to compliment themselves in any form and even if it's a very true statement)

but while i am an only child. my parents are bihari which idk if you've heard about them but they have a reputation ™

they are the strictest species to be on this planet and that's why i am Machiavellian and just like a liar ™

8- did you by chance speak with my friends cause!!!!!! i get this so so so much i can't be on a topic for more than 5 mins. i could start with history of earth and will somehow reach to the depths of feminism and it's reality in india to some meta discussion about a character

I'm that one friend that's just like- so what topic were we in again

the other friend : which one of these 18 topics are you talking about

over-all dude you've got a pretty good idea about me 🫂

[onlinerakhiandgiftsstore]

Celebrate the Joy of Diwali with Rakhi.com: Gifting Ideas to Brighten the Festival of Lights

Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most eagerly awaited and widely celebrated festivals in India and across the world. It’s a time for joy, togetherness, and gratitude as families and friends come together to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Whether through lighting diyas (oil lamps), exchanging sweets, or bursting fireworks, Diwali is filled with vibrant customs that make it a truly unforgettable festival.

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Final Thoughts

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[drivingschoolganesh]

Mastering the Roads: Your Ultimate Guide to Driving Schools in Kerala

Kerala, the picturesque southwestern state of India, is known for its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Navigating its roads, however, requires more than just an appreciation of its scenic beauty. The unique driving conditions, marked by narrow roads, bustling traffic, and diverse terrains, demand a higher level of skill and confidence. That’s where the role of a proficient driving school becomes pivotal. Whether you’re a native or a newcomer, enrolling in a driving school in Kerala is a smart move to ensure safe and skillful driving.

One such exemplary institution is Ganesh Driving School, renowned for its comprehensive training programs and dedicated instructors. This article delves into the essentials of choosing a driving school, the unique challenges of driving in Kerala, and why Ganesh Driving School is a top choice for aspiring drivers.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Driving School

Why a Driving School Matters

Driving isn’t just about getting from point A to point B; it���s about doing so safely and confidently. A reputable driving school imparts essential skills that go beyond the basics of operating a vehicle. Here’s why selecting the right driving school is crucial:

Safety First: Proper training minimizes the risk of accidents.

Legal Compliance: Ensures you meet all legal requirements for licensing.

Confidence Building: Helps overcome driving anxiety, especially in complex traffic situations.

Comprehensive Learning: Covers defensive driving, emergency response, and vehicle maintenance.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Driving School

When searching for the ideal driving school, consider the following factors:

Accreditation and Licensing: Ensure the school is accredited by the Motor Vehicles Department of Kerala.

Instructor Qualifications: Check the credentials and experience of the instructors.

Training Vehicles: Look for a variety of vehicles in good condition.

Curriculum: A comprehensive curriculum that includes both theoretical and practical training.

Reviews and Testimonials: Research feedback from former students.

Location and Availability: Choose a school that is conveniently located and offers flexible scheduling.

The Kerala Driving Experience

Unique Driving Challenges in Kerala

Driving in Kerala presents a unique set of challenges that even experienced drivers might find daunting. Here’s what makes driving in this state distinctive:

Narrow Roads: Many roads are narrow, winding, and often crowded.

Heavy Monsoons: The heavy rains can lead to slippery roads and reduced visibility.

Diverse Terrains: From coastal roads to hilly paths, the terrain can vary significantly.

Dense Traffic: Urban areas, especially cities like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, are known for their heavy traffic.

Cultural Nuances: Understanding the local driving etiquette and customs is crucial.

Traffic Rules and Regulations

Kerala follows the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, which outlines various rules and regulations. Key aspects include:

Speed Limits: Vary depending on the area — typically 50–60 km/h in urban areas and 80–100 km/h on highways.

Right of Way: Strict rules about who has the right of way, particularly at intersections.

Use of Horns: Frequently used in Kerala to signal overtaking or alerting other drivers.

Seat Belt and Helmet Laws: Mandatory use of seat belts and helmets for riders and pillion riders on two-wheelers.

Ganesh Driving School: A Cut Above the Rest

History and Background

Ganesh Driving School has been a staple in Kerala’s driving education landscape for over two decades. Founded by Mr. Ganesh Nair, a veteran in the field of road safety education, the school has earned a reputation for excellence and reliability.

Course Offerings

Ganesh Driving School offers a range of courses tailored to meet the needs of different learners:

Beginner Courses: Designed for those with little to no driving experience.

Refresher Courses: For those who need to brush up on their skills.

Advanced Driving Techniques: Focus on defensive driving and handling emergency situations.

Specialized Courses: For commercial vehicle drivers and those requiring specific endorsements.

Training Methodology

What sets Ganesh Driving School apart is its holistic training approach. The methodology includes:

Theory Classes: Cover traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices.

Simulated Driving: Use of simulators to teach basic controls and maneuvers.

On-Road Training: Practical sessions on various types of roads under different conditions.

Mock Tests: Regular mock tests to prepare for the official driving test.

Instructor Expertise

The instructors at Ganesh Driving School are not only experienced but also certified by the Motor Vehicles Department. Their patient, encouraging, and personalized approach ensures that each student receives the attention and guidance needed to succeed.

The Road to Getting a License in Kerala

Steps to Obtaining a Driving License

Here’s a step-by-step guide to obtaining a driving license in Kerala:

Learner’s License:

Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old for a private vehicle license.

Application: Submit an application online or at the RTO (Regional Transport Office).

Test: Pass a written test on traffic rules and regulations.

Driving Training: Enroll in a driving school like Ganesh Driving School for practical training.

Driving Test:

Schedule: Book a test date with the RTO.

Test Components: Includes a practical test where you’ll demonstrate your driving skills.

Results: If you pass, you’ll be issued a driving license.

Tips for Passing the Driving Test

Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the more confident you’ll be.

Know the Test Route: Familiarize yourself with common test routes.

Stay Calm: Keep your nerves in check to avoid mistakes.

Listen to the Instructor: Follow all instructions carefully.

Why Ganesh Driving School Stands Out

Personalized Learning Experience

Ganesh Driving School prides itself on offering personalized learning experiences. Each student’s progress is monitored closely, and the training is adjusted to address their specific needs and challenges. Whether you’re struggling with parallel parking or highway driving, the instructors are there to help you overcome any hurdle.

Community Engagement and Safety Initiatives

Beyond training drivers, Ganesh Driving School is actively involved in community engagement and road safety initiatives. They regularly organize awareness programs, safety campaigns, and free workshops on defensive driving and first aid.

Success Stories and Testimonials

The success of Ganesh Driving School can be best measured by the numerous success stories and glowing testimonials from past students. Many have gone on to become confident, skilled drivers, and some have even taken up professional driving careers.

Advanced Driving Courses: Beyond the Basics

Defensive Driving

One of the standout offerings at Ganesh Driving School is its defensive driving course. This program teaches drivers how to anticipate potential hazards and react appropriately, reducing the risk of accidents. Key components include:

Hazard Recognition: Identifying potential dangers on the road.

Safe Distances: Maintaining safe following distances.

Evasive Maneuvers: Learning techniques to avoid collisions.

Night Driving

Driving at night poses its own set of challenges, from reduced visibility to glare from headlights. Ganesh Driving School’s night driving course helps students master these conditions through:

Proper Use of Headlights: Understanding when and how to use high beams and low beams.

Dealing with Glare: Techniques to minimize glare from oncoming vehicles.

Speed Management: Adjusting speed for safe night driving.

All-Weather Driving

Kerala’s monsoon season can make driving particularly tricky. The all-weather driving course prepares students for such conditions by focusing on:

Wet Weather Driving: Techniques for maintaining control on slippery roads.

Fog and Mist: Navigating through low visibility conditions.

Windy Roads: Managing vehicle stability in high winds.

Embracing Technology in Driver Training

Simulation Training

Ganesh Driving School is at the forefront of incorporating technology into driver training. Simulation training allows students to experience a variety of driving conditions in a controlled environment. Benefits include:

Safe Learning: No real-world consequences for mistakes.

Variety of Scenarios: From city driving to highway conditions, students can practice different situations.

Immediate Feedback: Instructors can provide instant feedback and correction.

Online Learning Modules

To complement practical training, Ganesh Driving School offers online learning modules covering theoretical aspects of driving. Topics include:

Traffic Laws: In-depth coverage of Kerala’s traffic regulations.

Vehicle Maintenance: Basic vehicle upkeep and troubleshooting.

Eco-Driving: Techniques for reducing fuel consumption and minimizing environmental impact.

Conclusion: Your Journey to Confident Driving

Choosing the right driving school in Kerala is a crucial step in your journey to becoming a confident, skilled driver. Ganesh Driving School, with its comprehensive training programs, expert instructors, and commitment to safety, stands out as a premier choice in Kerala. Whether you’re a novice driver or looking to enhance your skills, Ganesh Driving School offers the perfect blend of knowledge, practice, and support to help you master the roads.

So, why wait? Enroll in Ganesh Driving School today and take the first step towards safe and confident driving in Kerala!

[psych---ologically-deranged]

psych 2x12 the old & the restless

anupam nigam & tim meltreger according

Alternate titles: If you lived here you'd be dead by now TM: It was too long. My first one was called If You're So Smart Then Why Are You Dead? AKA Little Man Hate! Other alternates for this one were Age Against The Machine & Old Case

Brian Doyle Murray TM: Anu is a human IMDB

"We had to make him an anti-henry & we see some of where adult Shawn's philosophy comes from in life. You've got to live by the seat of your pants

(their voices sound too similar for me) I was trying to be professional on set but I was like "I'm sorry can I please get a photo"

smash cut right into the case

AN: Do you write the entire pepisode in a room with a single 40 watt lightbulb hanging from the ceiling?

TM: The writer's room is the heart of our job here on psych, it's the nerve centre where we sit around on couches & beat out stories until they make sense

Shawn being a doula again

Psychfact: they have a routine where they hide Gus in a sack & it never fails

TM is the internet guy. Mr Tim, if you are reading this *kisses you*

TM: I wanted to talk about Gus & Shawn's shirt, both wearing purple, very complimentary (they wear matching clothes. Honestly I wouldn't doubt it in canon.) AN: Henry's just dressing a little loud tonight. "Hey there's that pink safari shirt"

*gus sleeping on henry's shoulder* *henry not stopping him*

set design: Glorious Pines Centre for Assisted Living AN: It's a pretty big plot point that it can't be for assisted living

TM: I have another question. Is it cool to do the rest of this commentary pants-off? AN: Do what makes you feel comfortable TM: *microphone sounds* AN: No I can't help you

Describes the guitar is shimmering TM: What's the name of the guitarist? AN: That would be me! TM: Him! Did you have your pants on for that recording? (I think I got the ppl wrong. Their voices sound very similar. & I'm deaf) AN: Absolutely not!

Never calls him grandpa after that. Throw in a good algonquian moshum

"our" grampy. Maybe he's only his grandfather in the eyes of the law, not as in adoption but as in marriage

"When your episode gets shot, the psych people will fly YOU up to watch the episode

*five minute walk to the studio if you're in LA* *airplane if it's in BC*

I call my paternal grandfather grandpapa. he was quebecois. Opa! That's what I SHOULD be calling my maternal grampa but he was the youngest of like 13 & his older siblings went to school during or a bit after wwii so they got beat for speaking german.

gus does a GREAT agitated

Shawn & Henry matching colours

*Gus knowing random facts*

This is like when they sent Shawn to the mental hospital

REAL retirement community. ily kelly kulchak "I get that it's an old folks home, but do they have to look old?"

Henry "I'm going to teach you a lesson, even tho normally I'd storm out of here & leave you in the lurch" I mean they did trick him into coming here

Love a good old naming scheme

Love all the gus medical terms they had to do research/lh for

"I'm pretty sure when Chris Henze emailed me I walked out of my office into the writer's office & yelled I've got booger!"

Henry: Life lesson 20. People lie & they leave without warning. *looking at Shawn* Shawn: *rolls his eyes & shoulders in the biggest natural sigh ever*

idk anything abt marathon running

AN & TM used to run marathon in high school

BG: You can't get Indian Blood by working in a casino Me: That's what fist fights are for Fun fact, JRr is actually half mexican, & a ton of mexican population is mestizo (sort of like the Metis of canada, which I am) so by extension you could say he does have "indian blood" if you really wanted

Yeah, as an fnmi person it does strike me as weird that they'd say indian not native american but like this was 2007 & anupam is India Indian too lol

Some ppl say "asian indian" & "indian" not "Indian" & "american indian" really???? At that point just say native american bro. I guess "native american" implies USA when indian is used to mean anyone from the americas. Fine. (But then a lot of the time ppl also forget greenland still. Greenland is mostly inhabited by the inuit, but is owned by iceland, a european nordic/scandinavian country)

AN: & what's the name of your band, Tim? TM: *Gasp* the friendly indians! It's systemic! AN: & when you say Indians you mean people like me bc we're all very friendly TM: Absolutely. & You are very friendly. .. Although our story does have a very long "why we're called friendly indians" story that has something to do with political correctness. In some ways it's ironic but it doesn't bear talking about here.

yk what I'm happy this is finally mentioned. It's been smth around my head for a while, I just haven't cared to say it.

AN: I thought this was a neat clue!

Jason Enzler? idk. Great shot tho.

I forgot my man wasn't wearing any pants

AN had to stand in for that actress when she got held up in makeup (you need someone of comparable skin tone & height) "If there's something I don't like it's having to read my work aloud in front of other people, so I was standing there shaking, having to read my script"

OFFICE MOUSTACHE COMPETITION? "That's it, I'm putting my pants back on!"

I love henry's bathing suit

"My s-- grandson Shawn & his--... Gus"

"The extra we asked to [fall in the water] was PETRIFIED of the water!"

Yeah how DOES juliet know that if she went to cop school in miami?

yeah I DEF see the difference between seasons 1 & 2

*right after Chelsea puts her leg up on shawn while tango dancing* "She had hip problems"

DH is a skilled dancer & they put him on the dance floor standing STILL

Shawn: Where did my dad learn to tango? Me: where did YOU learn to tango?

... "for anyone listening" like me "what would you the writer do on the set?" I've never been to the set?

HS: I'm your father, do not call me dude Me to my mom: dude

tim *spot pitching jokes to the actors*

Yeah nursing home vs retiring home. I've been to low-care old folks homes, basically an apartment complex where you can cook your own meals & stuff but they still have a dining room (my 103y/o great great uncle lived there), mid-care where you have tons of freedom but it is still a care facility, & high-care dementia homes where people need two lots of care.

*all in one location* *network loves it*

DH& JRr: dancing for several minutes DH, rhythmically: When Is Ensler Going To Say Cut

They were supposed to take JJ the kid to prison for this shit but they couldn't. There was supposed to be lassiter graffiti on the walls

I like it when they say "I wouldn't change a thing"

oh he hurt himself on his mountain bike This may have been the first ep since it healed

"What is the collarbone called?" "The Collar Bone" "You're a medical guy!" "The clavicle!" "Ok now you need to name six bones to redeem yourself!"

Traditional Breakdown

"I dreamt I went to heaven & met god & he sneezed!"

Bang! *watching the stunt man on the styrofoam rock* my man has a reputation for killing people & he has only killed one person in his five episodes

Curtis *tickling her bc he can't find the pills*

"jervis babey" TM: They exit Jason E: they limb over the railing. Henry doesn't get a fist bump. Homage to the shining.

Show me don't tell me I struggle with that so much but you DO need a balance

Ooh Jason E, love this shot.